Finding Happiness
by BloodPrnicess
Summary: 30-day OTP Challenge I found on Tumblr to try for Bella/Damon


Bella had been on the run since shortly after graduating and decided that the city that never sleeps would be a good place to rest and recover. So far she had not been hinted at Victoria's presence, but she could never be too careful. She wanted to be as safe as she could to make sure everyone's efforts weren't wasted.

While the wolves had been helpful in the beginning, especially after Charlie had died. Their close call with death right after graduation was just the straw that broke the camels had made a small army of newborns that showed them they were no match for her and her schemes. They all survived, but barely and Victoria got away again. They helped Bella lay several false trails and collect enough money to leave so she wouldn't be completely helpless. They didn't really want her to leave, but they had to look after the tribe. She understood and appreciated all they had done to help her leave as safely as possible.

Taking the insurance and donated money, Jake masked her scent after they laid the trails and she took the first bus available out of Seattle. Bella hadn't looked back since. She got a room at the Bellagio and then went out onto the strip. One of the first things she had done when preparing to leave was get a fake ID. So she was going to indulge a little bit and have a drink. She deserved it after making it this far with minimal incidents at present. Bella made her way to the closest bar and sat at the bar and looked over their specialty menu.

That's where Damon first saw her. She was leaning against the bar looking intently at the menu. While her ass was sticking out and was certainly a cause for pause, what truly drew him was her scent. It was a mix of something floral, fruity, and absolutely mouthwatering. He began his approach thinking that this was going to be his next meal, but boy was he in for a surprise.

"Well hello there beautiful. What-"

"Not interested."

"Woah. You didn't even let me ask my question. Aren't you even going to hear me out? You might even decide to change your answer."

"I doubt it, but sure buddy. Ask your question."

"Well before I was so rudely interrupted, I was going to ask what it would take to get to such a fine woman to have a drink with me."

"Since you've sat down and it appears no one else will be joining us I do believe you have already gotten your wish though I'm not so sure on that 'fine' part."

Damon couldn't help but to stare at her incredulously. While no runway model she was very attractive from her big, soulful brown eyes and glossy, straight brown hair to her lithe, slightly curvy body. Plus she kept nibbling on her bottom lip drawing attention to her mouth and causing fantasies of kissing her senselessly a common occurrence.

"I don't know who's lied to you, but you are definitely an attractive woman. With the way you rejected me I'll even go so far as to assume I'm not even the first person to notice."

"Oh no. This is fairly rare for me actually. It's just from my experience that when it does it's always with the worst pick up lines I've just begun to stop them before they can make me cringe with how bad they are.

"Well fear no longer for I shall scare off all of the awful pickup lines and you can keep me company. It's a win-win for all."

"Uh huh. I somehow feel as though I'm going to regret this."

"Stick with me and you'll find how wrong that feeling is."

Bella sighs with a slight smile on her face,"If you say so." 

* * *

Damon was just enjoying a lazy day with Bella when Stefan called. He had been trying to get in contact with Damon for several days. Damon could not be bothered to answer when he's sure it's to ask where he is and accuse him of things he hadn't done while also begging for his help. Damon could honestly say he was enjoying getting to know Bella and did not feel up to dealing with the Scooby Doo gang when he had found such wonderful company that actually appreciated him.

Looking at the phone, Damon sighed and answered reluctantly. Maybe if he got this conversation out of the way he could have some more peace and continue to convince Bella that she wanted to stay in his company instead of running off soon like she had planned. As he had those thoughts and halfheartedly listened to Stefan complain about the trouble Elena found herself in this time, Damon realized he truly did not care for the situation they found themselves in. He also noticed how much he truly cared for the woman in his arms.

Never before had he felt so happy and content with his life. Comparing his time with Katherine, even Elena, he began to think that it truly wasn't love. Neither of them had ever made him feel as though he was exactly as he should be and happy about. They both wanted him to be something he wasn't and even when he attempted to change for them it still wasn't enough.

Damon was still humming along to whatever Stefan was saying when he felt Bella begin to stir awake.

"That's nice Stefan, but I have plans and will be very busy for some time. You're always saying how I make things worse so here's an opportunity to deal with it your way. I'll let you know when I decide to come back. Goodbye, Stefan."

Damon then hung up and put the phone on the nightstand nearest him. Bella groaned at the movement since it moved her as well.

"Who was that?"

"My brother. Apparently they can't do anything without even though I'm as supposedly the source of all their problems."

"That doesn't make any sense, but okay. Are you leaving soon?"

"No. I told him to figure out himself. Maybe him and the gang will start to appreciate all I do for them."

"Well in that case, come back to being my pillow and later we can see if I can help you see that at least one person appreciates."

Damon couldn't help but smile at those words.

"I look forward to it." 

* * *

Bella has been pampering Damon as best as she can and he can't help, but to confess that he loves her. Bella is shy/happy and admits that she's been falling for Damon as well. She also admits that she's not sure that they can keep going as they have been though since she hasn't told him everything.

Damon lets her know that he knows he doesn't know everything about her and her life, but that's okay. She doesn't know everything about his either, but he hopes they can continue to get to know each other so that someday there will be no secrets and they'll know each other best.

Bella admits she wants the same and decides that if this is something they both want she'll start with one of the most pressing things he doesn't know which is Victoria. She explains who she is and how she got in the situation in the first place.

Damon is quiet during the entire spiel and once Bella's done, he promises that he'll protect and when she goes to protest he quiets he and explains that he too is a vampire, if a different one as well as a far superior one. To prove that he's not lying, he briefly shows his other face and while startled at first, Damon is relieved that she didn't go running and screaming nor did she smell of fear.

Once she got over the face she got more information on his kind of vampire as well as just exchanging more details on their lives so they could get to know each other better.

"You know, I really love you."

"I love you too. Even if you do act as a vampire should. There's nothing wrong with that. It's literally in your nature." 

* * *

The first date was the day following their first meeting. Damon managed to persuade Bella to give him her number as well as meeting up the following day. They explore the strip, old town, and then have a nice dinner. It was very chill and they had a great time. 

* * *

Bella has a charm bracelet Damon got her and there are several charms for him and their relationship. Eventually there is even a charm to act as her daylight stone when she agrees to make the transition for him.

Damon has a leather braided bracelet Bella gave him to make up for the charm bracelet he got her. It has a crow and later a cat to represent them both. 

* * *

Bella eventually explains how any family she would to introduce Damon to is dead, but maybe one day they can visit the pack. They do and they have mixed feelings about Damon, but accept her decision even though he sets them on edge.

The first meeting with Stefan does not go as well. He at first thinks she's there against her will and once he finds out she's there willingly he spends way too much time trying to portray Damon as this complete monster as if she doesn't know what she's gotten herself into. Bella winds up blowing up on Stefan and letting Damon know since she bought a house before they arrived that if he ever decides that he doesn't want to put up with them he's completely welcome no matter what and then lets him know that she'll see him at the grill after she cleaned up from the trip into Mystic Falls. 

* * *

Bella makes Damon laugh with the shenanigans she got up to growing up and how her clumsiness managed to get into some awkward situations.

Damon makes Bella laugh via jokes and stories from when he was human plus the occasional mess with Stefan story. 

* * *

Their first kiss is the end of their second date. It's when they both start to think this may be more serious for them than the mostly friendship they had been developing until that point. It's also when Bella realized she could definitely start to fall in love with Damon if she wasn't careful. 

* * *

Damon takes Bella to meet Alaric and it seems very date like. Damon and Bella don't mean to be so couply and can't help themselves. They try to stop and be normal and it's just nonsense and shenanigans. 

* * *

Damon decides to take Bella on a shopping trip to spoil her a little and doesn't know how to handle all of the pampering and being taken care. Damon points it out which makes her more flustered as she tries to explain. It's all of the cuteness. 

* * *

Since meeting and going on their second date, Damon and Bell have been sharing a bed. It wasn't even sex at first. They were just heading back to their hotel and realized they were staying at the same one. Since that was the case, it was decided that they could keep hanging for a bit longer since it wasn't a long trip from their rooms. They wound up at Damon's room talking into the wee hours of the night. Damon managed to convince Bella to sleep there instead of walking back since he had a perfectly good bed big enough for the both of them.

Bella discovers the Damon is a cuddle monster and Damon discovers that Bella talks in her sleep and has very vivid dreams. 

* * *

As Damon and Bella had been getting to know each other, Damon noticed Bella's limited wardrobe. When he questioned her about it she explained that they were comfy and that she hasn't lain any roots enough to keep an extensive wardrobe. Dissatisfied with that answer, he decides that she needs more clothes and better ones at that. Not something that likely came from Walmart clearance.

Damon takes her to some higher end boutiques to mess with her and then some of the stores she suggests, such as Ross. They have a great time. Bella especially since Damon wasn't trying to get her to wear anything he knew she would disagree to. Damon was just happy to get her things knowing she liked them and would wear them. Overall a major success for them both. 

* * *

They don't have a song. They have a playlist that they constantly update as an attempt to help them express how they are feeling as well as how they see their relationship. It's one of their ways of communicating with each other. It's even better when they sing since the emotions are even more clearly expressed.

Dancing happens less though. Damon makes an effort to teach Bella. She reluctantly learns, but Damon acknowledges that she's not very comfortable. He keeps dancing time  
limited and tries to never have it happen in public since he knows how self-conscious she gets. 

* * *

When they want to get away from the others without traveling far or they have a lot on their minds, there's a good chance they are on the roof of one of their houses stargazing. It's always nice just taking in all of the stars and recognizing how vast the universe is. Plus opportunity to cuddle to keep warm without having to go inside and deal with the Scooby gang. 

* * *

Rainy days can go two ways. Cuddling indoors with the fireplace going while reading or finding somewhere dry to watch the rain and have a quiet picnic. It's always nice to have some quiet time indoor or out and the rain gives the best opportunity to do both since so many people get depressed when it begins to rain. 

* * *

Well Damon is and will always be an antihero. He's not bad. He's just not completely good either. He loves taunting Bella who takes none of his shit and is constantly being the best hero and stopping him when he decides to be more of a bad guy.

She's the reason he has been shaping up and doing less villainy things and more hero things. The only thing stopping him from being a true hero is that he still kills people when he deems it necessary. That won;t likely ever change, but Bella accepts that. Just like he accepts she'll never deliver the finishing blow even when she really should. 

* * *

This was a disaster before it began. Double dating with Stefan and Elena was bound to have its issues since Elena was still pining for Damon while wanting Stefan at the same time. And not in the I like him at this moment and the other later, but I want them both in my bed at the same time kind of way. It's very frustrating, but Bella and Damon have a pretty good time make fun of the other couple. 

* * *

They hold hands a lot. It's a good way of showing affection without being gross. They like being reminded the other is there plus they are both constantly distracted by how perfect their hands fit each other. Further proof that they were meant for each other. Sometimes Damon will rub slow circles on her palm. They both tend to kiss the inside of each others wrists after a while. It's strangely intimate for a fairly nonsexual place to kiss. It's probably because of the vampire thing. Who knows. They just know they like it and will likely never stop doing it. 

* * *

Their magical abilities come from their patron god/goddess. Damon's patron are the Dea Tacita. He has the ability to travel through shadows as well as manipulate them to better kill those who have crossed him. He has an aura of darkness that further terrifies those around him. Overall he's one of the baddest things around and has no isssues killing you.

Bella's patrons are Honos and Virtus. She can often tell when someone isn't honest as well as being able to inspire people when they need it most. It's great when Damon tries to bullshit her and it doesn't work. He just likes that she's not constantly afraid of him like most people are. 

* * *

Damon has been putting together Bella's gift for months. It took some time since he didn't want her to get suspicious and find out before it was ready. When he finally shows it to her she's speechless and then kisses him senseless while thanking him repeatedly. Mission Status: Success 

* * *

They constantly argue on whether or not they should help the Scooby gang. Damon is all for leaving them to rot and while Bella understands she can't really entertain the idea of leaving them helpless when they can obviously fix the situation. It's a constant argument of we should go, but we won't in the end. Damon just likes getting Bella heated since he loves her passionately defending her stance even though he rather they stay out of harms way. He does want to spend eternity with her after all. Kind of hard to do if they're in danger constantly for something that doesn't have to be their problem. 

* * *

Bella almost died and if not for the fact she's on a Damon blood diet everyday, he may have committed suicide after massacring all those near him. Luckily he has friends to remind him that she's not completely gone, but it's heartbreaking none the less and all are happy when Bella wakes up and decides to transition after. 

* * *

Bella rescues Damon from some group. It's amazing and he loves her that bit more for getting him and being a badass. 

* * *

They've been captured, but their being held together and have hope as long as they're together. Eventually they have a plan of escape, but their capture was hard on them and if not for the fact they know each other so well, their relationship may not have survived after since they both needed time away to deal with everything. 

* * *

Comforting each other while they were captured as well as after the escaped. Even though they're not near each other they constantly text and call to check on their companion. They let the other know that they love them and will come to them if needed, even though they're not in a good place at the moment to be with the other long term. 

* * *

One day they decide to make an effort to do this just to annoy the others after someone talks about how sickeningly cute they. You want sickeningly cute. Now you got it. It was a really fun time and they decide they'll do it again in the future when their friends and family least expect it. 

* * *

Cuddles and talk after decades of being together. How happy they are to have survived and being able to enjoy this time together as well as the hundreds of years to come. 

* * *

Several days after they've met, but they are still in Vegas. They speak the words not too long after they have realized they have the feelings. They know all too well what can happen if you wait. They don't want this one to get away. 

* * *

Besides saying the words, it's the hand holding, the cuddling while having long talks at night. It's defending them even when they may be wrong, being there no matter what, and just being a great partner who does the little things to make life easier.


End file.
